Bob Marley's religious affiliation
Date: Sun, 11 Mar 2001 13:42:50
-0600
From: Sista Irie
<sisirie@io.com>
Subject: Letter in
Today's Gleaner re: Bob's religous
affiliations...
Over the past few
months, several people have introduced the topic of Bob's religous
affiliations....I thought this letter to the editor in today's Gleaner was
interesting and wondered if anyone out there has any comment about it? I find
the topic confusing at best concerning the intersection of Rastafari with
Christianity. I'd love to hear some the forums thoughts on this....sis irie
#23
THE EDITOR,
Sir:
It is indeed a sad day for
Christianity in Jamaica when a "Reverend" should doubt the power of God to grant
forgiveness to one of us creatures who have genuinely and publicly asked for it.
I refer to Rev. Mervin Stoddart's letter published in The Sunday Gleaner of
February 25, 2001, under the reading "No 'conversion' for Bob Marley". The Rev.
Stoddart is belittling Bob, as he said: "Propaganda spreading over my name, say
you want to bring another life to shame" (Bad Card); thus proving that he is one
of the "hypocrites and parasites" who have "come up" to "take a bite" (Who The
Cap Fit) of Bob's legacy.
If Rev. Stoddart
was a genuine Christian researcher he would realise Bob's penitence in the last
song he recorded - "I Know" - (a part of which the Reverend quoted and
misrepresented in the said letter) where he describes himself as being, "Like a
ship tossed and driven, battered by the angry sea, yeah", and seeks forgiveness
in the lines following, "Say when the tide of times are raging, don't let the
fury fall on me no! no!, cause I know yeah Jah will be waiting there." (Please
note that Jah is one of the Almighty God's names; see Psalm 68:4 of the original
King James Version).
As an executive member
of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church (E.O.C.) in Jamaica, headquartered at 89
Maxfield Avenue, Kingston 13, I know that prospective members, prior to being
baptised are instructed in the practices and teachings of the church and that
they must confess their belief in the Lord Jesus Christ as did the first
Ethiopian who was baptised (Acts 8:37). Indeed we are all baptised and anointed
in the name of Jesus Christ ? The Father, Son and Holy Spirit ? one God. Rev.
Stoddart needs to realise that thousands of former Rastafarians (Bob Marley and
yours truly Haile Mika'el included) have repented, been converted and baptised
into the E.O.C. and that by so doing, we have been accepted into paradise just
as the thief on the right hand of the Lord when he was on the tree of the Holy
Cross. If he hopes to gain his Ph.D. on his stated un-Christian principles then
he and others like him need to understand Ezekiel 34 to know the reward of
faithless ministers of the gospel of Our Lord Jesus
Christ.
I am,
etc.,
HAILE
MIKA'EL
St.
Ann
Marley
Posted: Fri - February 7, 2003 at 12:00 AM